Clothes washing apparatus



Jan. 6; 1959 B. E. BROWN 2,857,107

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.BERNARD E. BROWN ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1959 B. E. BROWN 2,867,107

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS Filed 001:. 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. BERNARD E. BROWN ATT ORNE Y United rates Patent CLOTHESWASHKNG APPARATUS Bernard E. Brown, Chicago, Ill., assignor to GeneralElectric Company, a corporation of New York Application October 29,1957, Serial No. 693,135

7 Claims. (Cl. 68-24) This invention relates to clothes washingapparatus and more particularly it relates to structures for use in thedrums of clothes washing machines in which cleaning liquids are removedfrom clothes and other fabrics by a high speed centrifuging operation.

A considerable number of domestic clothes washing machines include aperforated drum or basket adapted for rotation about a horizontal axis,in which clothes or other fabrics are subjected to a series of washing,rinsing, and centrifugal extraction operations. These operations areoften facilitated by the provision of lifts or vanes circumferentiallyspaced around the inside of the drum wall to lift and tumble the clothesduring drum rotation.

During the washing operation the fabrics are tumbled at a relatively lowspeed in the presence of water and usually a detergent. After conclusionof the washing operation, the fabrics are subjected to a rinse or seriesof rinses in water, often in conjunction with a rinsing agent. When therinsing operation is concluded, the rinse water is then extracted fromthe fabrics by a centrifuging or spin operation in which the drum isrotated at a relatively high speed, forcing the water to leave thefabrics and escape from the drum through its perforations. In practice,it has been found advantageous to interrupt this spin operation by oneor more pause or rest periods during the spin cycle.

The so-called combination washer-dryer machine performs all of the aboveoperations and in addition provides a heat drying operation after thespin cycle. In these machines, after the extraction operation, themachine completes drying by circulating heated air through the fabricswhile they are being continuously tumbled inthe drum.

Horizontal axis washers and combination washer-dryers possess manyadvantages and have achieved wide acceptance. However, they also have adisadvantage in that the fabric articles undergoing washing tend toadhere or plaster to the inside wall of the drum during the spinoperation. During spin, the wet fabric articles are thrown into contactwith and become tightly pressed against the drum periphery while thewater is being extracted. Consequently, after completion of the spincycle, it is usual that some of the clothes and other fabric articlesremain tightly pressed against the inside wall of the drum. This tightadhesion of the clothes is such that a portion of the clothes will clingto the drum wall even though the spin operation is interrupted by pauseperiods and is followed by a tumbling cycle. The tendency to adhere tothe drum wall is even more pronounced when the articles being washed arerelatively small and light such as diapers, handkerchiefs, and gloves.

The clothes and other fabric articles which have adhered to the drumwall can be removed by hand after spin without difficulty if the machineis an ordinary washer. However, if the machine happens to be acombination washer-dryer, a more serious problem is presented. Underordinary conditions in the combination washer-dryer, the lifting andtumbling of the clothes and F ice other fabrics during the heated dryingoperation prevents heat damage to the fabrics because no particular areaof the fabric is subjected to a prolonged heated period. However, if oneof the fabric articles undergoing drying should remain adhered to thedrum wall throughout the typical drying period, the fabric may sustaindamage from overheating because under these conditions at least aportion of the fabric article may be exposed to the heat sourcethroughout the entire drying cycle.

Accordingly, one object of my invention is to provide for use incombination washer-dryers and horizontal axis clothes washers,structures which automatically dislodge clothes and other fabricarticles from the drum wall after a spin operation, thereby preventingdamage to the articles by eliminating the adhesion thereof to the drumwall.

ple, inexpensive structure which is easily assembled into the drum of ahorizontal axis clothes washer and which is automatically effective tofree fabric articles which have adhered to the inside wall of the drumduring a clothes washing centrifuging operation.

It is still another object of my invention to provide means as abovedescribed, which may easily be installed in a conventional washingmachine drum, thus making available to older machines the advantages ofautomatic fabric dislodgment provided by my invention.

Briefly stated, in accord with the illustrated embodiments of myinvention, I provide a series of the fabricdislodging devices about theinner periphery of a drum of a horizontal axis washing machine. Thedevices may preferably comprise suitably shaped wire structures securedto the drum by means of enlarged end portions which are inserted throughsuitable openings in the drum periphery in a manner which permits thestructures movement relative to the drum side wall. In general, thestructures will lie adjacent the drum periphery underneath clothes beingtreated within the drum. During the relatively high speed centrifugingoperation, the structures and the fabrics disposed thereon will be inclose proximity to the drum wall throughout the drums rotational orbitdue to the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting upon the structuresand the fabrics. However, at slower speeds, with correspondingly lowercentrifugal force, or during a pause period which interrupts thecentrifuging operation, the structures will be displaced from the drumwall due to gravitational pull on the structures and fabrics disposedthereon aided by the resilience of the wire structures themselves. Themaximum displacement, of course, will occur when a particular structureis at the top of the drums rotational orbit, for there, gravitationalpull on the fabrics and the structures on which they rest is at amaximum. This displacement of each of the structures in turn will carrywith it fabrics disposed thereon and is therefore effective to dislodgefabric articles which may have adhered to the drum wall during thecentrifuging operation.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of thisspecification. My invention, however, both as to organization and methodof operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof maybest be understood by reference to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a washing machine constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the drum structure of themachine shown in Fig. 1 taken along the line 2+2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the It is anotherobject of my invention to provide a simarticle-dislodging structures ofFig. 1 before installation in a drum;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a fragment of thedrum structure .of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with broken lines showingthe position of'the structures corresponding with centrifuging operationof the drum;

Fig. 5 is a view showing a second form of article-dis loding structure;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a fragment of a drumstructure incorporating the structure of Fig. 5 with broken linesshowing the position of the structure corresponding with centrifugingoperation of the drum; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the drum structure of Fig. 6showing the drum periphery openings into which the enlarged ends of thearticle-dislodging structures are inserted for securement.

Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. l I have shown the inventionincorporated in a horizontal axis washing machine 1 of the domestic typewhich includes a suitably mounted tub assembly or liquid container 2having an access opening 3 in the front thereof which is in registrationwith an outer access opening 4 in the housing or cabinet 5. The spacebetween the outer access opening 4- and the tub access opening 3 isbridged by a suitable rubber sleeve 6. The outer access opening 4 isclosed by a watertight door 7.

Within tub assembly 2 is a cylindrical perforated drum 8 which containsthe clothes and other fabrics 9 during the various operations of theclothes washing machine. The drum 8 is adaptedfor rotation in onedirection and includes a side wall 10 having a plurality of perforations11 therein, a front wall 12 and a back wall 13. The front wall 12 isformed with an access opening 14 in registration with the access opening3 in the tub assembly 2.

Disposed within the drum are a plurality of circumferentially spaced,ridge shaped vanes 15 to lift and tumble the clothes 9 during thevarious treating operations within the machine.

Also within the drum against the inside of wall 10 are a plurality ofarticle-dislodging structures 16 having body portions 17. In a.preferred embodiment as shown in Fig. 1, these structures are formed ofrelatively stiff, resilient, wire having the general shape shown in Fig.3,

and are assembled in the drum in co-operating pairs which are disposedinclose proximity to and parallel with the drum wall in the bay areasbetween adjacent tumbling vanes. For securement, structures 16 haveenlarged ends 18, which may be loops formed by a bending operation,which are individually inserted in openings 11 in drum side wall 10. Theinherent stiffness of structures 16 is such that once assembled to thedrum, in the absence of exterior force, they will substantiallyconstitute chords which intersect the curve formed by the drum side wall10. However, the structures 16 will readily deform when subjected to aforce. In my preferred embodiment the structures 16 are somewhat longerthan the minimum distance between the edges of the openings 11 in whichthe enlarged ends 18 are inserted. This extra length permits the bodyportions 17 to substantially conform to the drum side wall peripherywhen the structures are subjected to small degrees of radially directedforce. However, when such a force is removed, the resilience of thestructures 16 will cause them to return to their normal chordrelationship with the drum side wall. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, ina preferred form the structures 16 are considerably shorter than thedistance between adjacent vanes and are mounted in parfllel pairs in astaggered arrangement with the ends of alternate structures 16 incircumferential registration. This permits the structures 16 to coverthe major portion of the drum area between vanes while body portions 17maintain a close relationship with the drum side wall 10. As thestructures 16 will yield under small force, are of relatively smallcross section, and are closely disposed against the drum wall, there ispractically no departure from normal conditions with the drum. In thesubject embodiment, I have obtained good results in regard to stiffness,resilience and freedom from corrosion with wire structures fabricatedfrom 0.036" diameter stainless steel spring wire, American Iron andSteel Institute Type 302.

The drum 8 is mounted for rotation by means of a shaft 20 which isjournaled in bearings (not shown) in a transmission housing 21. Withinthe housing 21 is a suitable two-speed transmission (not shown) whichmay be similar to that disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,426,078, issuedAugust 19, 1947, to Rex Earl Bassett, Jr. As the transmission forms nopart of this invention, its description has been omitted for the sake ofbrevity. The transmission housing 21 is carried by means of divergingstampings or similar spaced members 22 and 23 forming the rear wall ofthe tub assembly 2.

The transmission contained in housing 21 is provided with a pulley 24driven by a belt 25 from pulley 26 on the armature shaft of an electricdrive motor 27 which is attached in depending fashion from tub assembly2.

Secured in suitable fashion to the rear Wall of transmission housing 21is a solenoid 28 which is adapted to shift the drum 8 from low or tumblespeed to high or centrifuging speed on energization. This isaccomplished when the solenoid 28 actuates engagement gears (not shown)forming a high speed drive within the housing 21. During washing,rinsing, and drying operations, the drum is rotated at a relatively lowor tumble speed, for example, 54 R. P. M. On energization of thesolenoid 28, the transmission within the housing 21 will be actuated sothat the drum 8 will begin to rotate at a relatively high orcentrifuging speed, for example, 365 R. P. M. be obvious, of course,that centrifugal forces acting upon objects within the drum will be muchhigher during the centrifuging operation than during slower speedoperations of the drum.

It will be understood that with the transmission as described, the drumwill rotate in the same direction during all phases of the completewashing machine cycle, but my invention is equally applicable to washingmachines in which the drum rotates in one direction during the washingor tumbling operation and in the opposite direc tion during thecentrifugal extraction operation.

Water is supplied to the tub assembly 2 through a water inlet hose 30under control of a suitable electri cally operated water inlet valve 31.The inlet hose 30 is connected to hot and cold water sources throughvalves (not shown) so that water of suitable temperature may be admittedto the tub.

The washing liquid is discharged from the tub through water dischargehose 32 to a suitable drain (not shown) under control of an electricallyoperated washing liquid discharge valve 33.

It will be understood that in the sequence of operations, which will bedescribed hereinafter, the various elements of the washing machine, suchas the motor 27, the solenoid 28, the water inlet valve 31 and thewashing liquid discharge valve 33 may be automatically c0ntrolled from acentral source as by means of an electric timer actuated switchmechanism (not shown). Such control systems are well known in the artand further description thereof is deemed unnecessary since they form nopart of the instant invention.

The operation of a clothes washing machine embodying the inventionbegins when the clothes 9 and a suitable detergent are inserted in thedrum 8 through access opening 4. Water of the proper temperature is thenadmitted to the tub from the inlet hose 30 controlled by theelectrically operated valve 31. It will be understood that the solenoidis not energized and therefore the transmission within housing 21 willbe adjusted for tumbling speed. The motor 27 is then energized androtation of the drum begins. I

It will During tumbling rotation, the clothes 9 are continuously carriedfrom the lower part of the drum upwardly by the vanes to a point wherethey fall to return to a lower part of the drum. On the drawings I haveshown only four vanes and eight wire structures between adjacent vanesfor simplicity. However, it will be understood that a greater or lessernumber of vanes or wire structures as desired can be used within themachine.

After the washing machine operation is complete, the washing liquid isdrained from the machine through the discharge hose 32 controlled by theelectrically operated valve 33. Then, clean rinse water is admitted tothe machine through water inlet hose 30 controlled by inlet valve 31 andthe clothes or other fabrics undergoing washing are subjected to one ormore rinses.

After the rinse part of the cycle is complete, the transmission withinhousing 25 is actuated to the relatively high centrifuging speed by theenergization of solenoid 28. Due to the high centrifugal forces actingon objects in the drum during the centrifuging operation, the fabricsand the wire structures on which they are disposed lie very close to theperiphery of the drum side wall at this time. While the centrifugingoperation proceeds, rinse water from within the dlum and the fabricsflows out of the drum through its perforations. After leaving the drum,the water is then drained from the machine through the discharge hose 32controlled by the electrically operated valve 33.

-During the centrifuging operation, the drum rotation is interrupted byone or more pause or rest periods in which the drum comes to a completestop. As the drum slows to a stop, the centrifugal forces acting uponthe fabrics within the drum and the wire structures 16 against whichthey are disposed are progressively eliminated. Thereupon, theresilience of the wire structures 16, aided by gravitational forcesacting upon the fabrics and the structures themselves in the upperportion of the drums rotational orbit, will cause wire structures 16 toassume their normal chord relationship with the drum side wall and thusto be displaced radially inwardly away from the drum side wallperiphery. As the wire structures move away from the drum, they willcarry with them fabrics which were pressed tightly against the wirestructures and the drum side wall. The fabrics 9 will thus be dislodgedfrom the drum side wall periphery and are free to fall to the lower partof the drum. Thereafter, if the machine cycle calls for further tumblingoperations the fabrics will be freely lifted and tumbled by the vanes asthe drum rotation proceeds.

I have found that substantially no tangling of the fabrics duringwashing operations results from the use of my invention, due to the factthat the wire structures do not move appreciably relative to the fabricsexcept during periods of slow drum rotation at upper positions on thedrums rotational orbit where fabrics tend to fall downwardly; away fromthe structures rather than to move under them.

Means can also be provided within housing 5 to blow heated air throughthe clothes 9 during a tumbling operation preceded by a pause periodfollowing the centrifuging cycle. If such means are provided, of course,the machine would be classed as a combination washer-dryer. As describedhereinbefore, in such a machine the invention will also operate duringperiods of slow rotation to dislodge any clothes or other fabrics whichhave adhered to the drum periphery. Thus, there will be no possibilityof heat damage to clothes caused by prolonged exposure to heated airthrough adhesion of particular fabric areas to the drum periphery.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a modification of my invention in which aplurality of individual wire members are suitably joined into gridassemblies 34 before installation into a drum 35 having tumbling vanes36. Grid assemblies 34, which are advantageously also of A. I. S. 1.Type 302 stainless steel spring wire, are provided with 6 resilient sidemembers 37 having end portions 38 which pass through key hole openings40 located in the tumbling vane portions 36. The end portions terminatein enheads 39 will freely pass through apertures 42 but are too large topass through slotted portions 41. On installation of the grid assemblies34 into the drum 35, the resilient side members 37 are manually flexedtoward the drum side wall to bring the end portions 38 into registrationwith apertures 42. The heads 39 are then projected through the wall ofdrum 35 through apertures 42. When the flexing force is released fromside members 37, their resilience will move the enlarged ends out ofregistration with apertures 42. Under normal washing machine conditionsWithin the drum, the grid assembly side members 37 will travel in theslotted portions 41. Consequently, the grid assemblies 3! will beretained within the drum because the heads 39 are too large to passthrough the slotted portions 41.

When centrifuging operations are taking place within the drum 35,thegrid assemblies 34 will assume posi tions against the drum side wall asindicated by the broken lines in Fig. 6 due to the high centrifugalforces acting on objects within the drum at this time. However, as thedrum slows to a stop, as just before a pause period, the centrifugalforces acting upon the fabrics and grid assemblies 34 will beprogressively reduced. Thereupon, gravitational forces acting upon thegrid assemblies 34, as they reach upper portions of the drums rotationalorbit, will cause them to progressively fall away from the drum sidewall to assume positions at the inner part of the slotted portions 41 asshown by the solid line representation in Fig. 6. As the grid assemblies34 move away from the drum side wall, they will carry with them fabricswhich were tightlypressed against the side wall of the drum duringcentrifuging. Thus the fabrics will .be dislodgedfrom the drum side wallto fall to the lower part of the drum. Thereafter, if the machine cyclecalls for further tumbling operationsthe fabrics will be freely liftedand tumbled by the vanes as the drum rotation procoeds.

While I have shown two embodiments of the inven-' tion, it will beunderstood that it is not so limited, but is subject to othermodifications, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims allsuch modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for washing and drying fabrics by operations including ahigh speed centrifuging extraction operation, the combinationcomprising: a substantially cylindrical perforated drum to contain thefabrics, said drum being rotatable about a horizontal axis; a pluralityof mutually spaced vanes extending inwardly from said drum parallel tothe axis of rotation of said drum, said vanes being adapted to lift andtumble the fabrics during washing and drying operations of theapparatus; a plurality of wire structures secured within said drumadjacent the cylindrical wall thereof intermediate each adjacent pair ofvanes, whereby the respective structures are interposed between thefabrics and the side wall of the drum, the opposite ends of each of saidstructures freely projecting through openings in said drum permittingsaid structures movement radially of said drum; and means for rotatingsaid drum at a centrifuging speed whereby the respective structures andfabrics disposed thereon will move outwardly into close proximity to thedrum wall for the escape of liquid from said fabrics, said structures,upon interruption of rotation of said drum, moving inwardly'away fromsaid drum wall urged by gravitational force. acting on said drum forrotation about a horizontal axis; a plurality of mutually spaced vanesextending inwardly from said drum parallel to the axis of rotation ofsaid drum,

said vanes being adapted to lift and tumble the fabrics during washingand drying operations; a plurality of mutually spaced pairs ofelongated, resilient wire structures movably disposed within said drumabout the cylindrical wall thereof, whereby the respective structuresare interposed between the fabrics and the side wall of the drum, therespective structures extending generally parallel to each other andnormal to said vanes, end portions of each of said structures freelyprojecting through one of said drum perforations, means at theextremities of said structures for retaining said structures within saiddrum during rotation thereof while permitting radial movement of saidstructures relative to said drum; and means for rotating said drum at ahigh centrifuging speed whereby the respective structures and fabricsdisposed thereon will move outwardly into close proximity to the drumwall due to the large magnitude of the centrifugal force associated withsaid centrifuging speed and the resulting flexure of said wirestructures, said structures, upon interruption of rotation of said drum,moving inwardly away from said drum wall due to the resilience of saidstructures and gravitational force acting on said structures and saidfabrics, thereby dislodging any fabrics which may have adhered to thedrum wall interior during the centrifuging operation.

3. In apparatus for washing and drying fabrics by operations including ahigh speed centrifuging operation, the combination comprising: asubstantially cylindrical perforated drum to contain the fabrics; meansfor mounting said drum for rotation about an axis inclined from thevertical; a plurality of wire grid-like structures movably disposedcontiguous to the inside of said drum cylindrical wall, whereby therespective structures are interposed between the fabrics and the sidewall of the drum, each of said structures having end portions freelyprojecting through openings in said drum, said openings being oversizerelative to said end portions to permit said structures a desired degreeof movement relative to said drum, enlarged head members at theextremities of said end portions for preventing the escape of said endportions through said openings; and means including a drive motor torotate said drum at a centrifuging speed whereby the respectivestructures and fabrics disposed thereon will move outwardly into closeproximity to the drum Wall due to the large magnitude of the centrifugalforce associated with said centrifuging speed, certain of said gridstructures, upon substantial reduction in the speed of rotation of thedrum, moving inwardly away from said drum wall urged by gravitationalforce acting on said grid structures and said fabrics, therebydislodging any fabrics which may have adhered to the drum wall interiorduring the centrifuging operation.

4. In apparatus for washing and drying fabrics by operations including ahigh speed centrifuging extraction operation, the combinationcomprising: a drum to contain the fabrics; means for mounting said drumfor rotation about a horizontal axis, said drum having a generallycylindrical perforated side wall and an access opening to receive saidfabrics; a plurality of elongated, deformable, resilient wire structuresmovably disposed within said drum about the cylindrical wall thereof,whereby the respective structures are interposed between the fabrics andthe drum, the respective structures substantially forming chordsintersecting said drum side wall and extending generally parallel toeach -other and normal to said vanes, each of said structures having itsend portions freely projecting through one of said drum side wallperforations, said ends having loops, whereby when said structures aremoved relative to the drum side wall, said structures will be retainedwithin said drum because of interference between said looped ends andthe periphery of said perforations; and means including a drive motor torotate said drum at a high centrifuging speed whereby the fabricsdisposed on said structures will move radially outwardly urged by themagnitude of the centrifugal force associated with said centrifugingspeed and thereby flex said resilient structures so that the fabricswill be in close proximity to the drum wall; said structures, uponinterruption of said centrifuging operation to slow said drum to a stop,moving inwardly away from said drum wall due to the resilience of saidstructures and gravitational force acting on said structures and saidfabrics, thereby dislodging any fabrics which may have adhered to thedrum wall interior during the centrifuging operation.

5. In apparatus for washing and drying fabrics by operations includingtumbling operations and a high speed centrifuging extraction operation,the combination comprising: a substantially cylindrical, perforated drumto contain said fabrics, said drum being arranged for rotation about anaxis inclined from the vertical and having an access opening to receivesaid fabrics; a plurality of mutually spaced vanes extending inwardlyfrom said drum side wall parallel to the axis of rotation of said drumto lift and tumble the fabrics during certain of the operations of themachine, said vanes having radial slotted openings; wire grid structuresof approximately rectangular configuration movably disposed contiguouswith and generally parallel to the inside of said drum wall intermediateeach adjacent pair of vanes and occupying a large proportion of the drumarea therebetween, whereby the respective structures are interposedbetween the fabrics and the side wall of the drum, each of said gridstructures having side members with end portions freely projectingthrough said slotted openings, whereby said grid structures arepermitted radial movement relative to said drum as permitted by theradial length of said slotted openings; means at the terminals of saidend portions having a diameter greater than the width of said openingsto maintain the said end portions in the said relationship with saidslotted openings during the rotation of said drum; means including adrive motor to rotate said drum at a centrifuging speed whereby therespective grid structures and fabrics disposed thereon will moveoutwardly so as to be in close proximity to the drum wall under theinfluence of the centrifugal force engendered by said centrifugingspeed, and upon interruption of said centrifuging rotation so as tobring said drum to a stop, some of said grid structures will be urged bygravity inwardly away from said drum wall to dislodge fabrics which mayhave adhered to the drum wall interior during the centrifugingoperation.

6. In apparatus for washing and drying fabrics by operations including ahigh speed centrifuging extraction operation, the combinationcomprising: a perforated, clothes-containing drum rotatable about ahorizontal axis, said drum having a perforated generally cylindricalside wall and an access opening to receive said fabrics; a plurality ofelongated, deformable, resilient structures having hooked end portionsin engagement with certain of the drum side wall perforations, wherebysaid structures are movably mounted within said drum adjacent to itsside wall, so as to be interposed between the fabrics and the side wallof the drum, said structures being retained within said drumby means ofsaid end portions, the respective structures moving outward into closeproximity to said drum side wall when subjected to radially directedforce but springing away from said drum side wall when said force isremoved; and means including a drive motor to rotate said drum at a highcentrifuging speed whereby the fabrics disposed on said structures willmove radially outwardly urged by the large magnitude of the centrifugalforce associated with said centrifuging speed deforming said structuresso that the fabrics will be in close proximity to the drum wall and atslow speeds with correspondingly low centrifugal force whereby saidstructures will spring inwardly away from said drum wall due to theresilience of said structures aided by gravitational force acting onsaid structures and said fabrics, thereby dislodging any fabrics whichmay have adhered to the drum wall interior during the centrifugingoperation.

7. In apparatus for washing and drying operations on fabrics including ahigh speed centrifuging extraction operation the combination comprising:a perforated drum rotatable about an axis inclined to the vertical tocontain the fabrics to be treated said drum having a generallycylindrical side wall and an access opening to receive said fabrics; atleast one grid structure mounted Within said drum contiguous with andgenerally parallel to said side wall, whereby the structure isinterposed between the fabrics and the side wall of the drum, saidstructure being of high specific gravity relative to said fabrics andhaving two opposite end portions movably attached to said drum,permitting said structure to move outwardly to or inwardly away fromsaid drum side wall, each of said end portions being movablesubstantially equal distances relative to said side wall; and means forrotating said drum at a high centrifuging speed whereby the structureand fabrics disposed thereon will move outwardly into close proximity tothe drum side wall under the influence of the centrifugal forceengendered by said centrifuging speed, said structure, upon interruptionof centrifuging rotation of said drum, moving inwardly away from saiddrum wall while traversing upper positions on the drums rotational orbitunder the influence of gravitational force acting on said structure andsaid fabrics, thereby dislodging any fabrics which may have adhered tothe drum wall interior during centrifuging operation.

No references cited.

